antoinettev3 Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 The prelimanary report brings some pretty bad news. Not only is there another large tumor in the pleural lining but now I have nodules in BOTH lungs and there are enlarged lymph nodes. We do not have the comparison to the last scan but I can figure out for myself what's new and what has grown. The pain has become unmanageable as of last night. The percocet only keeps me comfortable for about an hour. I am just devastated with this news. Not only is the Tarceva not working but the cancer that has been so quiet and slow growing over the past decade has become very aggressive. I will see my oncologist to discuss what few options I have at this point. Right now I need to get the pain under control so I can function. I am finding it very hard to stay positive given the advancement of my disease in just 6 weeks time. Mesothelioma does not respond well to chemo and I fear that things will continue to progress. All prayers are apperciated. God Bless. Antoinette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shineladysue Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Antoinette, I am so very sorry to read this news from you. Please know that you have my prayers and I truly hope they can get your pain controlled very soon. Take care and God Bless. Love and Prayers, Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carleen Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Oh Antoinette, I am so sorry. I will say some extra special prayers for you tonight. I know how the pain and actually feeling sick can drain hope. But please know that there are still reasons to be hopeful. I am praying for God to ease your pain, and to guide you to a treatment that will reverse these advancements and bring you healing. (((Antoinette))) Sending you love and warm thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treebywater Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Antoinette, I'm very sorry to read this. I'm praying for you and hoping hoping hoping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Antoinette, I am very sorry to read of your setback. I hope you get the pain under control soon. I have read of alimta/cisplatin being used for mesothelioma. You certainly have my prayers. Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanie55 Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Antoinette, I am just so sorry to hear of this setback. Please try to stay positive. I know it's so hard. I'm wishing & praying for you. Joan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda661 Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 I am so sorry to hear of this setback, Antoinette. Sending prayers for a quick intervention on pain and a next option that will kick the progression outta' there! Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 There may be options hopefully. There is a new class of drugs called irreversible EGFR inhibitors. The theory is that they will work when the cancer mutates and becomes resistent to Tarceva http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... t=Abstract HKI-272 is one of the drugs. There are a few others in early trials. They are very new and Phase I/Phase II trials, but it may be an option There is a phase II clinical trial of this drug in Los Angeles (not yet recruiting). Also there is a trail in Washington state http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/N ... 3B?order=6 Also it might be possible to get other experimental drugs under "compassationate use" Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyanne Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Antoinette, I am so sorry for this bad news....prayers that many other treatment options will reveal themselves. Can't you move on to something other than percocet? I know that alot of the narcotics disagree with you, but they have to have something that gets the pain under control. I pray that God's hands reach down and comfort you, providing peace and hope. Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma's kid Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Many prayers, Antoinette. I am just so so sad to read this. Libby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Antoinette, so sorry at this turn of events. Definitely get the pain under control. I pray that you will have options that will work for you. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antoinettev3 Posted June 4, 2006 Author Share Posted June 4, 2006 Thank you all for your comforting, encouraging and kind words. This community is amazing! I am hoping to get on some long acting oxy and then use the percocet for break through pain. Unfortunately that can't be phoned in so it'll have to wait until the morning to be picked up. In the meantime I try to sleep as much as I can to escape the pain. I'll post updates as I can. God Bless. Antoinette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welthy Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Antoinette, So sorry about the news. Pain compounds even the best situations. Have you sought out a pain clinic or center in your area? I truly hope you can find something to beat both the pain and the new growths. Bless you and praying for strength for you. Welthy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 You may want to look into this possibility if Tarceva has been working; Celebrex-Tarceva Duo 'Promising' in Late-Stage Lung Cancer Trial By Michael Smith, MedPage Today Staff Writer Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. June 01, 2006 MedPage Today Action Points Advise patients who ask that resistance to the cancer drug Tarceva is thought to involve over-expression of cyclooxygenase-2; and the Cox-2 inhibitor Celebrex therefore might prove useful in treatment. Note that in this preliminary, small study, the drug combination was safe and produced a clinical response in 33% of patients, more than would be expected with Tarceva alone. Review LOS ANGELES, June 1 — Celebrex (celecoxib), the Cox-2 inhibitor, and Tarceva (erlotinib), the epidermal growth factor-receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, have been teamed with some preliminary success to inhibit late-stage non-small-cell lung cancer. Over-expression of Cox-2 in tumor cells was seen in preclinical studies to cause resistance to drugs like Tarceva, which block tumor cell growth by targeting the EGFR), according to Karen Reckamp, M.D., of the University of California at Los Angeles. Dr. Reckamp and colleagues hypothesized that combining Celebrex with Tarceva would improve response rates; and they initiated a Phase I study to find the optimal biological dose and establish the toxicity profile of the combination. As a secondary endpoint, the researchers included clinical response to the drug pairing. Typically, Dr. Reckamp said, about one patient in 10 responds to Tarceva alone. Yet with the combination, 33% had a partial clinical response, and an additional 24% achieved stable disease. "Tarceva alone is a great drug and has a lot of clinical benefits, but for a small proportion of patients," Dr. Reckamp said. "With this drug combination, we saw an increase in response rates, indicating we are overcoming some resistance." In the June 1 issue of Clinical Cancer Research, Dr. Reckamp and colleagues presented safety data on 21 participants with stage IIIB and/or IV non-small-cell lung cancer, who received increasing doses of Celebrex, from 200 mg to 800 mg twice daily, as well as 150 mg/day of Tarceva. The most common toxicities were rash and skin-related effects, reported by 86% of patients, but there were no dose-limiting toxicities and no cardiovascular toxicities related to the study drugs, the researcher found. One patient—in the group taking 200 mg twice daily of Celebrex—suffered a myocardial infarction, but the event was after he stopped taking the drug and thought to be unrelated, because he had a previous history of MI. He had been enrolled before the spate of warnings about cardiovascular risks of Celebrex. The optimal dose of Celebrex, measured by decrease in urinary prostaglandin E-M, was 600 mg twice a day. The researchers also reported response data for 21 of the patients; the other patient had his Celebrex interrupted following the FDA warning regarding cardiovascular safety. The researchers evaluated response rates after eight weeks, but patients stayed on the study until tumor progression. The longest duration of response was 95 weeks, Dr. Reckamp said, which is more than three times longer than the average duration of response for a patient with advanced lung cancer. The researchers are planning a Phase II study, expected to start later this year, to confirm the efficacy of the combination therapy and to try to increase their understanding of Tarceva resistance, Dr. Reckamp said. Primary source: Clinical Cancer Research Source reference: Karen Reckamp et al. "A Phase I Trial to Determine the Optimal Biologic Dose of Celecoxib When Combined with Erlotinib in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer." Clin Cancer Res 2006;12: 3381-3388 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindi o'h Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Antoinette, So very sorry to read your latest set-back. Cling to hope through John's advice in searching out the latest treatment for meso. cindi o'h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonni Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Oh Antoinette ...I am so sorry to hear this news....before I answered this post...I already prayed to the Good Lord that he will ease your pain and to touch and comfort you and show you that HE is there.. and I will continue to pray for you...keep the faith Antoinette ...there is hope...pay particular attention to John's post... I HATEEEEE THIS FREAKING MONSTER!!!!!!!....PamS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.